Button guard or retainer.



No. 7II,739. Patented Oct. 2|, I902,

D. SAMUEL.

BUTTON GUARD 0R RETAINER.

(Application filed June 12, 1902.1

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES DAVID SAMUEL, on BA LTIMO RE, MARYLAND.

BUTTON GUARD OR RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION fanning part of Letters Patent No. 711,739, dated October21, 1902.

Application filed June 12, 1902. 7

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID SAMUEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Button Guards or Retainers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Thisinventionis an improved button guard or retainer device designed toprevent a detachable stud or button from becoming ac cidentally detachedfrom the buttonhole.

The invention consists of certain constructions and combinations ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of oneform of the device. Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of a wristband,showing the application of my device to the button in the buttonhole,-the head of said button being out be to show the shank. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal view, partly in section, of the same on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of modified forms of the device.

The retainer device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 comprises twospring-clips a, connected by a U-shape member 6. In the present in-;stance said device is formed of a single strand of wire bent atitsmiddle portion into U shape, with approximately parallel side members b,and each of said side members is bent into S shape at right angles tothe plane of the U-shape member to form the spring-clips a, with thecontracted mouths of the clips extending outwardly or away from thecrossbend or arch of the U-shape member b.

After the detachable stud or button 0 has been inserted in abuttonhole-say the buttonhole d of a wristband d, (illustrated in Figs.2 and 3)-the retainer device is passed over the edge of the wristband,with its U- shape connecting member 5 straddling the said wristband, andthe two clips to embrace the shank c of the button, one clip holding tothe shank on one side of the wristband and the other clip holding to theshank on the opposite side of the wristband. That portion of the clipswhich embraces the shank is of smaller diameter than the base and headof the button. Hence neither said base nor sash No. "111,302. (Nomodel.)

head can be drawn through said portion, and the only way the button canbecome disengaged from the retainer is by passing out through thecontracted mouths of the springclips, which require some little pressureto open them.

Fig. 4 illustrates a slightly-modified form of the device, in which thespring-clips c are reversed in position from the clips athat is, theircontracted months 6 extend toward the cross-bend or arch of theU-shapeconnecting member.

The application of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 is the same as thatillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, except that the clips embrace the button-shank in a reverse way from that shown in said Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates another modification, in which one side member f ofthe U-shape connecting memberf is permanently secured to the stud orbutton 9 by being mounted to slide through the shank of the button andprovided at the end with a head 72 to prevent the separation of buttonand retainer device, and the other side memberf of this form of thedevice is provided with a spring-clip 5 similar to the spring-clips a,illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

To'apply the combined button and retainer illustrated in Fig. 5, theretainer is drawn away from the button-shank until the head h abutsagainst the same, the clip portion of the retainer is grasped by thefingers and pulled away from the button, while the button-head isinserted through the buttonhole, and the said clip is then connected tothe buttonshank on the side of the buttonhole opposite to the side onwhich the base of the button is located.

While the accompanying drawings, Figs. 2 and '3, illustrate the retainerdevice as applied to a wristband, it is manifest that the device mayalso be used in any other place where a detachable button is employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is. V 1. Thecombination with a button of the character described, of a retainerdevice comprising a U -shape connecting member adapted to straddle thearticle in whose buttonhole hold to the button on opposite sides of thefor the purpose set forth. [0 article, as set forth. In testimonywhereof I affix my signature the said button is inserted, and adapted tobnttonhole the said button is inserted, as and 2. A retainer device fordetachable butim the presence of two witnesses.

tons, comprising two spring-clips adapted'to DAVID SAMUEL. embrace theshank of the button, and a U- \Vitnesses: shape member connecting saidspring-clips, CHARLES B. MANN, J r.,

and adapted to straddle the article in whose FREDERIQK S. STITT,

